This invention relates to breast pumps and, in particular, to a foot operated breast pump having a pivoting treadle for providing full control of both halves of the pumping cycle.
In the ideal situation where a mother and baby are together most of the time and the baby is able to nurse on demand, there is little need for a breast pump. However, there are many circumstances which make nursing difficult or impossible and a breast pump is necessary to furnish the baby with the mother's milk; for example, a premature infant who cannot be nursed or a mother returning to work shortly after giving birth. The book, "The WomanIy Art of Breastfeeding", published by La Leche League International describes several types of manual and electric breast pumps which have been used by women to enhance or facilitate nursing.
A manual breast pump is awkward because it requires both hands to operate, preventing the mother from pumping both breasts simultaneously, holding a baby, or even holding a book to read during the tedious pumping process. Some pumps are designed for single handed operation but require exceptional strength in the fingers to maintain a rhythmic squeezing action. In addition, a single handed breast pump typically requires that the hand performing the rhythmic, strength-intensive pumping also keep the funnel in place on the breast.
Electrically powered breast pumps are a little better, not requiring so much work from one hand, but are more expensive, noisy, less portable, and have less control of suction and rhythm. Many electrically powered breast pumps are so expensive that they are rented rather than purchased. Since a table-top electric breast pump is often the same size as a small sewing machine, a mother cannot always carry the pump with her, requiring that she be at a certain place at a certain time, several times a day, in order to be able to pump the milk her baby needs. Even if the pump is transportable, the mother must find an electrical outlet in a private area, often a difficult task in offices and other public places.
The noise of a motor can compromise privacy even behind a closed door and may be distracting for the mother. Battery powered breast pumps are usually noisy, producing a buzz like an electric razor. Even if a mother is able to resolve the privacy and distraction issues for herself, the baby may be distracted or upset when nursing on one breast while the mother pumps the other breast, as many women do to aid their milk letdown reflex,
On an electric breast pump, the controls for suction and rhythm are not as immediate as the quick adjustment provided by a manual breast pump, i.e. suction decreases as soon as the woman slows or stops pumping manually. The controls for suction and rhythm on a battery powered breast pump may be more convenient than the controls on an AC powered breast pump but they are not immediately effective. On some battery powered pumps, suction is controlled by placing a finger over an air hole, an imprecise method which causes the suction to be inconsistent, with possibly painful consequences.
A battery powered breast pump has a further disadvantage in that the woman must always have fresh batteries and spare batteries with her.
In the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 11,135 by O. H. Needham (1854), describes a manual bellows connected by a flexible hose to a funnel which fits over the breast. This pump requires two hands to operate, one hand for the pump and one hand for the funnel. There is no mechanism in the pump for returning the bellows to a start position and the narrow grip for operating the bellows precludes operation by foot.
In view of the foregoing, it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a manual breast pump requiring only one hand to operate.
Another object of the invention is to provide a breast pump which is portable, quiet, and inexpensive.
A further object of the invention is to provide a manual breast pump which permits control of both halves of the pump cycle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a breast pump requiring little, if any, manual dexterity.